Moses Lake, Washington
Living in Moses Lake, Washington is about 20% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 120 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,458 a month, 25% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $4.98 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 32% of the area's $96,549 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$4.98
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,458
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$15.99
Combo meal
Electricity
14.63¢
per kWh · ~$132/mo
Car Insurance
$155/mo
$1,857/yr
Median Household Income
$96,549
32.1% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,857 in Moses Lake. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $1,458/mo in Moses Lake. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$15.99
Casual Dining
$28.68
Monthly Spend
$491.46
+5.41% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.36
$13.49
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.44
$14.57
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.12
$15.11
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.58
$6.36
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Moses Lake?
Average 1BR: $1,196/mo · 2BR: $1,720/mo
Moses Lake Cost of Living FAQ
Is Moses Lake, WA expensive to live in?
Moses Lake has a cost of living index of 120, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 20% more expensive than average. It is the 6th most expensive of the 15 Washington cities we track.
What is the average rent in Moses Lake, WA?
Typical rent in Moses Lake is $1,458 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 25% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,196 and two bedrooms about $1,720. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Moses Lake?
Rent in Moses Lake fell 0.6% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Moses Lake?
Regular unleaded costs about $4.98 a gallon in Moses Lake as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Washington. That is 25% above the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Moses Lake?
Homes in Washington pay an average of 14.6 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Moses Lake is about $132.
How much is car insurance in Moses Lake?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,857 a year in Washington, or about $155 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Moses Lake?
Median household income in the Moses Lake area is $96,549 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $31,035 a year, or 32% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,112 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Moses Lake compare with the rest of Washington?
Rent in Moses Lake is 19% below the $1,794 average across the 15 Washington cities we track, and its cost of living index of 120 compares with a state average of 119.
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